What You Can Do To Prepare For Your First Root Canal

Posted in News

January 1, 2016

Getting a root canal is one of the dental procedures that many people will have to go through at some point in their lives. If you are in a position where you are preparing for one, chances are that you are interested in making it an overall better experience for yourself. One common concern that many people have is the fact that it’s usually associated with a lot of pain. However, you can ensure that this will not be a problem for you by simply preparing for the root canal in Mississauga adequately. There are many things you can do to ensure that you will be as comfortable as possible before and after the procedure and these include:

Scheduling the procedure at the correct time

The first thing you need to do is make sure that the procedure is scheduled at a time that will be convenient. Of course, you can get a root canal done at any time. However, if you get it done at a time when you don’t have many commitments, it’s likely to be much better for you.

For one, the fact that you won’t have as much to do means that you can simply relax which helps with minimizing the pain. Having to go about your daily routine with a dull ache in your mouth is usually not a good thing for most people. It reduces your concentration and may also reduce the quality of your work as well. Therefore, if you are scheduling a root canal, it would be in your best interests to make sure that in the few days following the procedure, you will have some free time to yourself.

Invest in the correct dental hygiene products

After the root canal, you will need to keep cleaning your teeth and gums in the area around the affected tooth. Research has shown that this has an effect on quick healing of the affected area, and also reduces how much pain you go through after the root canal. However, you may end up causing more pain if you don’t do it right. Prior to the root canal, it would be wise to invest in a toothbrush that has soft bristles as well as toothpaste that is mild. This will reduce the chances of ending up causing physical damage to your teeth and gums in the process of cleaning the affected area.

Expect to have to change your diet

In the few days after the root canal, you will need to avoid very hard or crunchy foods. These tend to increase the physical damage to an area that is already tender and possibly inflamed. To this end, you should consider looking into changing your diet to softer foods. This is particularly important if you have stringent dietary needs, such as if you are diabetic.

Find someone to drive you home after the procedure

If you will be going back home after the procedure, it may not always be wise to drive yourself. You should consider getting someone to drive you to and from the dentist’s office, so that you don’t have to. One of the side effects of the anesthesia used during such procedures is that it can end up making you feel drowsy, and therefore unable to drive safely. Getting someone to drive you will ensure that you remain safe.

These are just a few of the things you should do to prepare for your first root canal. Consulting your dentist for further advice is a good idea, since it allows you to get more information on the procedure, and subsequently how best to prepare for it.